Dr Besigye charged with malicious damage and inciting violence

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye appeared before the Mbarara High Court Grade One Magistrate Sanyu Mukasa to answer charges of malicious damage, assault and inciting violence on Friday 10 May, 2019.

According to the prosecution, Dr Kizza Besigye, current FDC president Patrick Amuriat and mobilisation secretary Ingrid Turinawe among others incited violence and assaulted violence against police officers while conducting an unlawful meeting at Amahembe G'ente in November 2017.

The case was however adjourned to July 19th, 2019 for further hearing.

While addressing journalists shortly after the court hearing, Besigye said that the cases are only trumped up to harass and inconvenience the opposition in order to affect their finances.

''This is just politics, They're persecuting and inconveniencing us to affect our finances with all these movements. We have several similar cases that we continue to face in different parts of the country. They're all trumped up.'' - Besigye told journalists.

He however called on all the opposition candidates to stay on course and instead use these charges to show the world how the government and it's institutions are violent.

''We have never caused any violence and it's the regime that is violent. We shall continue to expose them as if being in court. Police witnesses are also being brought and exposing lies in court and it's our pleasure to expose them to the world that there is absolutely nothing.'' Besigye added.

He said that where the court process becomes indefinite, they might reach a cut-off and make a decision never to return to court.